


Natural

by LukeVonCastiel



Category: Guild Wars, Guild Wars 2
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Picnics, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-24
Updated: 2013-09-24
Packaged: 2017-12-27 12:52:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/979135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LukeVonCastiel/pseuds/LukeVonCastiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Riannoc tells Trahearne a story about his favourite fruit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Natural

"You always eat apples."

Riannoc turned to look at Trahearne with a grin on his face, a bright, red apple in his hand. The other sylvari watched him, bright yellow eyes glowing. They sat together in the Grove, feet dangling in the warm water of a pond. A soft, night breeze blew through the trees, causing the luminescent flowers around them to dance about like fireflies. Between them lay a small pile of apples.

"They’re my favourite," Riannoc said simply, pulling a small dagger from his belt and slicing the fruit in his hand in two. He did not remove the core, simply cutting from top to bottom, right through the centre. He handed one half to his beloved, who took it with a soft smile. "Do you want to know why?"

Trahearne looked down at the perfectly sliced apple in his hand, nodding slightly. Riannoc admired his profile for a moment, the structure of his face, the glimmer of his glow, the sweetness of his smile. To him, Trahearne was the most beautiful being alive, in both body and soul, and he made sure his lover knew it every moment they were together. It was harder to remind him when they were apart, but through their connection to the Dream he made sure his love flowed. The feelings might dim with distance, but even has he ventured into the world, and Trahearne returned to Orr, the two were always linked.

"There are many reasons, some more simple than others," he began, looking down at his own half of the apple. "I’ve always liked the taste. Simple yet distinctive. Sweet yet sour. It achieves a balance I’ve found no other fruit can match, and yet it is so easily found. It can be eaten on its own, or can be cooked or juiced or mixed with so many other things. There are many different types, and yet at the core there is something common, something that ties it to all other apples."

"Like the Dream connects us to one another," Trahearne murmured. Riannoc looked over at him. He had heard some whisper that his beloved was a cold creature, an odd creature, but he knew they were wrong, and that if they could see the content warmth of his smile they would all know it too.

"Yes, like the Dream connects us," he affirmed, before letting out a low laugh. "And for a long time, those were the reasons I believed the apple to be my favourite of all the fruits Tyria had to offer."

"There’s another reason?" Trahearne asked. Neither he nor Riannoc had taken a bite out of their apple slices, both focused on listening and telling as they looked at the fruit in their hands.

"Mmh," Riannoc hummed. "It’s a story told to me by a human woman, an orchard keeper I met whilst exploring the village of Shaemoor. She was young, as was her husband, and whilst he worked she baked us a pie and told me a story."

The two sat him comfortable silence for a moment, Riannoc remembering the orchard keeper’s words and Trahearne basking in the soothing and strong presence of the other. The wind had stilled while they had been talking, warm night air settling as the stars and flowers shone around them.

"She said that apples are the houses of love," Riannoc said. "That though the outer walls of an apple may be many colours, passionate reds and glowing yellows and soft greens, like there are many kinds of love, but within they all contain the same thing. A white bliss and star made of seeds, things that can only be seen by those who share the apple. A starry joy that can only be seen by those who share that house."

When he finished the story, the two remained quiet. Riannoc looked at Trahearne, and Trahearne looked at his apple. There was a faint blush on his cheeks, and he held the apple half with such delicate reverence that Riannoc found himself blushing as well, a warm happiness bursting in his chest.

"I think they’re my favourite too," Trahearne whispered, running a finger over the seeds that formed the shape of the star. Then he placed it as his lips and took and small bite, unable to stop smiling. "It seems only natural for it to be, after all."

Then he turned to Riannoc, and kissed him. He tasted like pine and apples and love and happiness, and Riannoc never wanted it to end. It did though, the two pulling apart and grinning.

"More natural for me to love than Omnomberries anyway."

Their laughter resounded through the Grove at that, and they kissed once more.

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the prompt 'Natural' a friend sent me on Tumblr. As a side note, the human woman mentioned is an actual NPC in the game. She doesn't tell this story, sadly, but she does quite like apples.


End file.
